Rochdale Online advertising revenue soars

Photo: Journeaux

Pauline Journeaux - Rochdale Online Managing Director

Rochdale Online advertising revenue has soared by 26% in the financial year ended 31 March 2014.

The company attributes the large increase and continued upward trend to offering local businesses and organisations "exceptional value for money" coupled with "the opportunity to reach a very large local audience".

Managing Director Pauline Journeaux says the migration away from print to internet advertising, due in part to dramatically falling newspaper sales, that has been ongoing for the past few years has accelerated and that the size of the Rochdale Online website audience makes it the logical online choice for local advertisers. She said: "The upward trend in our advertising revenue continues and has accelerated beyond what we thought were our optimistic predictions.

"During the past financial year we have re-developed the Rochdale Online website to a responsive design ensuring that advertisers gain exposure to the 40% plus of site visitors who access the site via a mobile device.

"We have also introduced a number of low cost advertising opportunities for smaller local businesses that have been received particularly well."

Ms Journeaux says the aim over the next 12 months is to continue to grow the advertising revenue base and also points to the imminent launch of a major new venture which will provide an additional source of advertising revenue and commissions.

The company says it is also looking to increase its share of public sector advertising which currently remains "surprisingly low" given the size of audience and the "significant savings Rochdale Online can offer public sector organisations at a time when their budgets are under severe pressure".

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/advertising/